15th Century Art in Italy II

Lesson Intro: Guy looking into a box. A set of lines connect the figure's eyes to the corners and areas on the box. 
- It is a study of Perspective, of linear perspective

- One point is Gentleman's eye, and all of the other lines connect to the other objects.

* Artists struggled with limitations associated with 2d artwork, on canvas, etc. This was because the surfaces lacked what sculpture has, depth.

* one of the techniques aimed at fixing this difficulty in creating depth was developed by Filippo Brunelleschi--Linear Perspective. 

* Before the introduction of Linear Perspective, artists would use atmospheric perspective, which made it so that as objects receded in the distance they got smaller. This effect was achieved by blending the background figures' colors, using delineation and becoming unfocused. 

*Linear Perspective is calculated.

| 'Gaining Perspective on Perspective' }

* Renaissance architect Brunelleschi developed linear 

* There are two important parts of linear perspective: vanishing point and orthogonals. As paintings become more complex, the artist can introduce more than one vanishing point.

- Quick note: Atmospheric perspective deasl with the arrangement of objects and how they're asscoaited and related to the atmosphere, or setting.

Ex: Schematic/diagram thing has just one vanishing point. (in the center)
* The point of the vanishing point is that it's the point where all the imaginary lines converge. Lighter lines show the many lines at unique angles and tilts, and they meet and unify at one point. This feature makes piece aesctetic. Prevents disruption of continuity in a composition

* Similar example can be seen in railroad tracks going away to a distance. The orthogonals of the tracks converge at one point.

Renaissance Perspective

* Ex: The Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter. by Perugino. 

- Show early Renaissance linear perspective

- The large tiles that exist in the plaza behind Christ and St. Peter serve to make linear perspective clear. The orthogonals exist in the tiles of plaza and they converge at the center of the door in the building at the background. The horizontal lines get closer and closer as they recede in to the distance, helping to develop sense of space and depth, sense of three dimension

Dome of the Florence Cathedral

* The problem was creating a dome that needed no external support.

* Filippo Brunelleschi solved the problem by developing a self-supporting dome. He created dome with ribs (supportive structure). On top of dome sits octagonal drum at end of church. But there are no flying buttresses (which would radiate off) or other external support. 

- He built a double wall construction, with two-layered masonry approach. There is a complex network of timbers and beams in between two layers, which support both the interior and exterior shells of dome.

- Underneath the cupola (crown of dome) has an oculus or hole in it. It is not completely shelled, it has a hole in the middle. It displaced the forces and the load going in circular pattern around, moving the forcing around the dome so it doesn't cave in. This idea was borrowed by the architects of the Roman religious structure the Pantheon (not double layered, but interesting.)

Alberti's Famous Facade. 

* Although never finished, the façade of Palazzo Rucellai is a Hallmark of Renaissance architecture

* Giovanni Rucelai wanted Alberti to create a facade, as the building already existed, though they had distinct facades. The properties were row houses adjacent. 

* Alberti created a new facade. A new layer that went around all these buildings, unifying them on the exterior.

* returns to classical influences. There is a three-tiered composition. Classical influences in the columns and the pedestals on the outside of the building. Each of the columns is unique. Similar to Great Coloseum in Rome, where it is leveled in three tiers, as one moves up from each tier the associated capitols (which cap off the column) get less signficant, smaller, more fragile, though they increase in complexity and detail as one goes up.

* Starts with Doric columns, then Corinthian-inspired, lavishly decorated capitols. 

| Overview: During the 15th century, art in Italy focused on using mathematical concepts and geometrical concepts. As seen in the dome, and the façade by Alberti. Used relationships between forms to create a sense of unity.

Definitions:

• Linear Perspective - mathematical system for creating the illusion of space and distance on a flat surface

• Vanishing point - the point where all lines meet in linear perspective

• Orthogonals - In linear perspective, the diagonal lines that can be drawn along receding parallel lines to the vanishing point.

• Leon Battista Alberti - Italian architect, humanist, antiquarian, mathematician, and art theorist of the Early Renaissance.

• Filippo Brunelleschi - One of the foremost architects and engineers of the Italian Renaissance

• Sacra conversazione - refers to a depiction of the Madonna with the infant Jesus with the saintsrefers to a depiction of the Madonna with the infant Jesus with the saints